


The Mythology of Memory

by lucidscreamer



Series: Sky and Sea [12]
Category: Original Work, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Mermaids, Bi-Gender Character(s), Creation Myth, Drabble, Fictional Religion & Theology, Gen, Gods, Merman Yami, Mythology - Freeform, Older Characters, Oral History, Original Mermaid Culture, Polytheism, Religion, Syncretism, Traditions, Worldbuilding, literal world creation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-31
Updated: 2019-01-31
Packaged: 2019-10-19 23:09:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17610812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucidscreamer/pseuds/lucidscreamer
Summary: These are not his myths, nor his history. But one day, they will be.This time, Yami shadows the Charm's Mythspeaker.





	The Mythology of Memory

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh! is the creation of Kazuki Takahashi. No ownership of the canon characters, settings, or events is claimed and none should be implied.
> 
> The merfolk culture in the "Sky and Sea" series is the creation of, and sole property of, Lucidscreamer. 
> 
> POSSIBLE WARNINGS: Okay, this is very religion/mythology heavy. And some people may be offended by the mermaids' gods, so I'm warning here for: bi-gender god, euphemistic mention of masturbation by said god to create more gods, polytheism, syncretism... If any of that bothers you, please don't read this one. 
> 
> If there's anything I should warn for and didn't, let me know.

 

　

Today, Yami's shadowing the Mythspeaker and her apprentices. She's an elder, old enough that her scales have turned as silver as her hair. It falls past her fins, heavy with braids and twists, wound thick with tokens.

By contrast, her apprentices seem barely out of the creche, though most are about Yami's age. They hang on her every word as she Speaks, teaching them their history, their lineage, their myths. She has the cadence of a poet and the scope of a storyteller. Yami is enthralled.

These are not his myths, nor his history. But one day, they will be.

　

　

o0o

　

Listen, now, as I Speak, and hear how it was, and is, and will be.

Before there were two things, were the waters of chaos. One-Who-Is-Two Sang Themself into being, rising from the chaos. And so Songs of the Voice are Theirs in Their Name of Aheni Who Sings, for creation is the destruction of nothingness. And this is why Songs are sacred.

One-Who-Is-Two rose from the waters and Their first breath was the air. In Their Name of Olus, They exhaled Their breath upon the waters, lifting half above Them to form the Upper Sea, and it was the sky. The other half of the waters settled beneath Them to form the Lower Sea, and it was the ocean.

To light the way for all that lives, One-Who-Is-Two plucked out Their eyes; the golden eye They set in the east as Hetis Who Shines, and it was the Sun. The silver eye They set in the west as Harib Who Lights the Night, and it was the Moon. In Their Name of Hetisharib, One-Who-Is-Two could watch over all the world with the eyes of the Sun and Moon.

Desiring children of Their body, One-Who-Is-Two released Their seed into the ocean and each became one of Those Who Bless, in all Their Names, Who have guided all those who live from that day.

Then One-Who-Is-Two lay down upon the ocean waters, and Their body was the first island. From the sky around the island came the Sylth, the spirits of the air. They planted the flowers and the trees and all the green growing things, and soon the island was verdant. From the waters around the island came the Elui, the spirits of the waters. They sowed the seas with fishes and corals and everything that swims, and soon the seas were teeming.

And One-Who-Is-Two wept because it was so beautiful. From Their tears came the True People, those of the oceans: the Sirens were first, and so they are the oldest siblings and must care for the younger. All other people came after, and are the younger siblings.

After a time, One-Who-Is-Two spat upon the sand and from this came the peoples of the land, and they are the youngest. One-Who-Is-Two set Nirzi Who Walks to guide those who stride the dry places. Sometimes, Nirzi guides landwalkers to the sea and clothes them in scales, and we, who are their older siblings, welcome them home.

And that is how everything since the beginning came to be, and how it continues to this day.

　

　

**Author's Note:**

> I sort of feel like I should tag this "the author's religion is showing," but that's only semi-true. However, some readers may spot where my inspiration for certain aspects of the creation myth presented here came from. :)


End file.
